- Last Updated on November 3, 2024
Berlin is one of the most important cities for 20th-century history. The home of Hitler’s Nazi Regime, as well as the epicenter of the Cold War, there are many reasons to visit this easygoing city, with its broad, pretty boulevards and leafy parks. This Berlin itinerary is for 2 full days of sightseeing. Do the activities in the order listed to optimize your time. If you desire a slower pace of vacation, consider spreading this itinerary out over 3 days in Berlin instead.
Table Of Contents - Berlin Itinerary
STAR RATING KEY:
★★★ Top priority
★★ Highly recommended
★ Worthwhile
No Star – Skippable if not interested
Berlin Itinerary
Day 1
Berlin City Walking Tour
The most important thing to do in Berlin is see the various memorials and sights related to WW2 and the Cold War. You can do this on your own if you work hard, but it will be way easier, and more rewarding, to take a guided walking tour. We recommend this one, which takes you to the Berlin Wall, death strip, Checkpoint Charlie, Brandenburg Gate, and more. Tours leave at 10:00am, 10:30am, or 2:00pm, last 3-4 hours, and cost around $20 per adult. Book in advance here.
Reichstag
This building houses Germany’s Parliament. The Reichstag is a symbol of democracy for a city that was without it for over 50 years. Its glass dome has a central artistic element covered in mirrors that allows visitors to see into the legislation chamber, an important reminder to the government that its people are watching them. Use the interesting audio guide when walking inside the dome.
You must have an advanced reservation to visit and you must bring your passport with you. Book here.
Cost and Hours: Free (reservation required, see above). Open 8:00am-11:59pm daily.
Address: Platz der Republik 1, 11011 Berlin, Germany
Website: www.bundestag.de
Stroll Unter Den Linden
This street is the main boulevard in Berlin. It is often overlooked during walking tours, but strolling the length of it is a nice way to cap the day, if your feet aren’t hurting too much. Walk from Brandenburg Gate down Unter Den Linden to Alexanderplatz and the TV tower. The walk takes about 35 minutes down the nicest street in town. However, if your feet are killing you from your city walk earlier today, just skip this activity.
For map details, click on the icon in the top left corner.
Jewish Quarter Courtyards (Hofe)
The old Jewish quarter is full of Hofe, which are a unique feature of Berlin. They are a series of interconnected courtyards that served as communal gathering places for the Jewish community, who had settled in the area long before WW2. Today, they are trendy places to live, work, and stop for a coffee. See the map below.
For map details, click on the icon in the top left corner.
East Side Gallery
This stretch of the Berlin Wall is now the world’s longest open-air art gallery. A popular photo spot, it is quite touristy, but worth the trek to see.
Cost and Hours: Free, open 24/7.
Address: Mühlenstraße 70-71
Website: www.visitberlin.de
Day 2
Berlin Wall Memorial
This is perhaps the most important sight in Berlin. The memorial is a large outdoor walking path in what used to be the death strip (the area between the inner and outer walls of the Berlin Wall). There are also a few indoor sights.
We recommend you start at the Visitor’s Center (Bernauer Strasse 119) and watch the two 15-minute videos describing the wall and its security elements (they play in English and German – just watch whatever is on; the German version has English subtitles). After you finish watching the videos, head across the street to the former death strip. Walk down the paved path through the grass until you are across the street from the documentation center (Bernauer Strasse 111). Enter the documentation center and go all the way up the stairs until you are at the top of the tower. From here look across the street onto the last area of the death strip that has been preserved as it was during the Cold War.
At this point you will have seen the most important elements of the memorial. If you want to see more, you can visit the exhibits in the documentation center, or continue walking along the memorial path as long as you like.
Cost and Hours: Admission is free. Museums open Tuesday-Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm, outdoor sights open 24/7.
Address: Bernauer Str. 111, 13355 Berlin, Germany
Website: www.berlin.de
Tiergarten Park
Walk from the Berlin Wall Memorial through Tiergarten Park to the Victory Column. This column, with the goddess Victoria atop it, commemorates the military victory over France in the 1800s. Once you’ve reached the statue, turn around and walk back along a different route through the park toward Potsdamer Platz.
Potsdamer Platz
This square, full of glass skyscrapers, is the symbol of modern Berlin. This should just be a quick stop after Tiergarten Park – there’s not much to do here, other than stop for lunch if you’re hungry.
Topography Of Terror
This museum tells the story of WW2, including the rise of the Nazi party and postwar life in Berlin. This sight is a combination of indoor and outdoor exhibits. The outdoor exhibit is a long stretch of the Berlin wall that you can walk down at your leisure. The indoor exhibit is relatively small, but very dense. It is imperative that you listen to the audio guide inside (the information desk will tell you how to get it on your phone); otherwise you won’t get much from the visual displays.
Cost and Hours: Free. Open 10:00am-8:00pm daily.
Address: Niederkirchnerstraße 8, 10963 Berlin, Germany
Website: www.topographie.de
Practical Info
Getting Around Berlin
Berlin is a big city, but you don’t need a car here. Public transportation is excellent. During your trip you may need to take trams, buses, or trains, all of which are synced perfectly with Google Maps.
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